You'll need a Shimano's package (part#: Y-8H2-98020) of an olive and a connecting insert, which you will use to crush the line once it is cut. Go to your LBS, they'll get it for you for about $5.

Unbolt the rear caliper from the frame, pull it and see how long you'll want to cut. Put back the caliper. Unscrew the line from the brake lever. You'll need to cut the line in perpendicular and clean fashion. I used a Dremel tool with abrasive disc head. Some fluid will drip, and some air may get in the line, so you may need to bleed the system. When I did it for the first time, it took me about 30 minutes. It's not so difficult.

Some people have posted that you can salvage the olive if you carefully cut the line. But when I took apart the banjo, it was well crushed at the factory installation, it didn't seem like it was possible to salvage. I've also heard you can get away with using Magura's olive, although I have no confirmation on this yet.

old XT the same?

You'll need a Shimano's package (part#: Y-8H2-98020) of an olive and a connecting insert, which you will use to crush the line once it is cut. Go to your LBS, they'll get it for you for about $5.

Unbolt the rear caliper from the frame, pull it and see how long you'll want to cut. Put back the caliper. Unscrew the line from the brake lever. You'll need to cut the line in perpendicular and clean fashion. I used a Dremel tool with abrasive disc head. Some fluid will drip, and some air may get in the line, so you may need to bleed the system. When I did it for the first time, it took me about 30 minutes. It's not so difficult.

Some people have posted that you can salvage the olive if you carefully cut the line. But when I took apart the banjo, it was well crushed at the factory installation, it didn't seem like it was possible to salvage. I've also heard you can get away with using Magura's olive, although I have no confirmation on this yet.

I know that all the Shimano's current lineup of the hydraulic brakes use the same parts and procedure for the hydro lines and the connectors.

i have a feeling that it's the same for the old XT lines as well. You can go to Shimano's technical pages and download the pdfs of several exploded views. Compare to see, if it look the same to your lines and the connectors.